

A Few Lessons in Civil 
Government for 
Foreigners 

by 


CHARLOTTE WHEELER 

Teacher of the Foreign Class in the 
Lincoln Evening School 
San Francisco, Cal. 



I 



Copyright 1916 
hy 

Charlotte Wheeler 



DEC 15 1916 

©CI.A453079 

f . 





ABRAHAM LJXCOLX 
16th President of the 
United States 


Lincoiln Evening School 
Cor. Fillmore and Hermann Streets 
San Francisco, Cal. 

Frank L. Fenton—Principal 




Dedicated to 


Raymond Turney, of Los Angeles, 
Frank L. Fenton, of San Francisco, 
and other good friends who have en¬ 
couraged me. 


PREFACE 


This book is inteinded as a brief outline upon which to form 
a knowledge and lacquire a fuller understanding of the life of our 
government. The object is to have the foreign bom student realize 
that this mighty nation has grown from a vast wilderness to one of 
the strongest governments of the age in a comparatively short time. 
And that it has been built up, from the very beginning, by pilgrims 
from other nations. 

The foreigner who desires to become a citizen must realize that 
he is to be a part or unit of this great country. The teacher must 
use her own discretion about enlarging on the early history and 
battles. But to my mind no person is fit to become a citizen of the 
United States who does not know and fully realize w'hat the patriots 
endured, that the United States might exist as it is today. 


a WHEELER. 


LESSONS IN OUR GOVERNMENT. 
THE INDIAN. 


In the beginning this country was a vast wilderness peopled only 
by fierce and warlike Indian tribes. (Note 1) 

In the white frozen north were the Eskimos who lived in houses 
made of blocks of ice and snow, and who gained their living by 
hunting the white polar bear, moose, cariboo, seal and walrus. 
(Note 2) 

From the north far to the south was the Algonquin family. 
They inhabited a greater area than any of the other tribes; living 
in villages in wigwams or tents made from the skins of animals 
stretched over poles. They moved from place to place gathering 
berries, nuts and roots. (Note 3) 

They were always at war with the Iroquois tribes who were noted 
for their fierceness in war. 

The Iroquois made long voyages up and down the seacoast and 
had fierce conflicts with the Algonquins to whom their name was a 
terror. 

The Indian would slip like a panther through the stillness of the 
dawn and crouching under cover of the trees and bushes would 
spring upon his sleeping foe and with deafening, blood curdling 
war-whoops, kill and scalp his enemy. (Note 4) 

These Indians cultivated more corn, tobacco and beans than they 
could consume. They wove baskets, shaped flint into arrow heads, 
hardened copper (Note 5) and made clothes of deer skin embroid¬ 
ered with bright shells and grasses. 

The women worked while the men fought and hunted. They 
killed the fierce grizzly, the wolf, the coyote and the buffalo. 

Some of these tribes lived in lodges which were often 70 feet long. 
They had great fires in the middle, round which they held their 
counsels or smoked their pipe of peace. 

A few of these tribes were so low that they were but little better 
than animals, but most of them possessed a faith which made them 
loyal to a friend and merciless to an enemy. (Note 6) 

They were all superstitious. (Note 7) They had no way of re¬ 
cording their history but by traditions that were handed down from 
generation to generation in stories, songs, dances, and by means of 
pictures which they wove into baskets and belts. (Note 8) 

The Pueblo Indians lived in towns. Their houses were made of 
adobe or of stones held together by a mud mortar and often orna¬ 
mented by turquoise or other stones from the Rocky Mountains. 

Still other tribes built their homes high up on the faces of mighty 
cliffs or ledges, reached by ladders or ropes or by steps cut in the 
rocks. Others built cities on mounds with streets and terraces. 

In the hot or tropical climate of the south lived a mighty tribe 
called the Aztec. They were the most highly civilized and the 
most cultured of the inhabitants of this country. (Note 9) 


4 


They had a walled city protected by moats and drawbridges. 
They wrote by means of hieroglyphics, and fought with spears and 
shields. Their ruler, called the “Montezuma,” lived in la palace with 
beautiful gardens. Their clothes were woven from the fiber of the 
cotton plant and dyed brilliant hues from the indigo and other 
plants. 

Their temple, on whose altar a fire to the great God, burned day 
and night, was ornamented with gold and silver and studded with 
precious stones. Under this temple were labyrinths and catacombs. 
There were filled with gold and precious stones, vases, candle sticks, 
and ornaments made of gold. (Note 10) 



5 


Notes. 


Note 1.—There were 55 different families or “Stocks” or nations 
comprised of at least 800 different tribes each speaking a different 
language. 

Note 2.—The Eskimos are still found from Greenland to the 
Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands. 

Note 3.—The Algonquins are perhaps the best known stock. It 
was with them that the Pilgrims fought. They were driven back 
by the Virginians. William Penn traded peacefully with them 
under his famous treaty. 

Note 4—The Iroquois founded a league called the “Six Nations.” 
It was devised by Hiawatha, chief of the Onondagoes, about the 
middle of the 16th century. The Iroquois were a very powerful 
people. In the Civil War a company of 500 Iroquois men from 
New York and Canada stood first in the list among all recruits of 
our army for height, vigor, and corporal symmetry. (Doctor Briton) 

Note 5.—The Indian possessed the art of hardening copper and 
tempering it so as to give it as good an* edge as iron and steel 
This ancient Indian art is now entirely lost. Page 300, “The North 
Americans of Yesterday.” Dellenbaugh. 

Note 6.—In many tribes the sun is the principal God and the 
moon is his wife. The morning and evening stars are his sons. 

Note 7.—All Indians greatly fear ghosts. These they believed 
were the spirits of the dead. 

Note 8.—Before going to battle the Indians painted their faces 
and bodies and danced strange and horrible dances, such as: the Bear 
Dance of the Pawnees which lasted days and nights without ceasing 
or the White Deer Dance, (See Picture) which was danced only 
once in a hundred years. Another curious dance was the Snake 
Dance of the Pueblo Indians; a fantastic dance for rain. 

Note 9.—Some of the tribes of the Aztecs are of the very lowest 
order. 

Note 10.—Read Wallace’s “Fair God,” and Prescott’s Mexico: Vol. 
I and II. 


Questions 

1. Tell what the first people in this country were like. 

2. How did the Eskimo dress? 

3. Tell how the Iroquois fought. 

4. How many “Stocks’’ or nations were there? 

5. How did these people live? 

6. Describe the Aztecs. 


6 



THE WHITE DEER DANCE 




















THE FIRST WHITE MEN. 




Leif Ericsson. 

This continent was first visited in the year 1,000 by Leif the Lucky, 
a Norseman who paddled from Norway to Iceland and was drifted 
by the Artie Current down the northeast shore of this country. He 
spent some time here for he built a stone tower and called the land 
Vineland. (Note 11) Nothing came of this visit. 


Christopher Columbus. 

In 1492, ‘Christopher Columbus, an Italian sailing for the King and 
Queen of Spain, touched the islands at the southeast of this conti¬ 
nent. He left a colony of forty men and claimed the country for the 
King of Spain. (Note 12) 

England sent John Cabot out in, 1497. He reached the main land 
and claimed it for England. Maps were made and the new land 
called America. 

Notes. 

Note 11.—Read Longfellow’s “Skeleton in Armor.” The story of 
an armored skeleton found under the ruins of an old tower in 
New Jersey. ' IJ; i 

Note 12—Columbus had three ships, the Nina, Pinta, and the Santa 
Maria. He was searching for a short water way to India and 
thought that he had reached the islands west of India. He called 
them the West Indies and named the red skinned people “Indians.” 
He never knew that he had reached a new continent. 

Questions. 

1. Who was the first white mam to come to this country? When? 

2. Tell of Columbus. Who was he ? For whom was he working ? 

3. What was he trying to prove? When? 

4. What did he call the natives whom he found in this country? 
Why? 

5. What nation now claimed this country? 

6. When did England send John Cabot across the Atlantic Ocean ? 

7. What land did he reach ? 

8. What part of the new world did England claim? 


8 


SETTLEMENTS. 


Spain and England both claimed the New World and Spain made 
many small settlements. She conquered the Aztecs in 1519 and in 
1565 founded St. Augustine, the oldest town in what is now the 
United States. 

Almost a hundred years after Columbus discovered America, 
France and England began making settlements and exploring the 
new country. The French planted fur trading posts along the Great 
Lakes and explored down the Mississippi River. They made friends 
with Indians and in many cases married the Indian women, although 
each year the King of France sent many strong, daring, young 
women to this country to marry and make homes. It was a cold and 
barren land in winter around the Great Lakes and thousands of 
lives were lost in starting this New France. (Note 13) 

The English made settlements along the Atlantic seacoast. In 
1607 the first permanent English settlement was made at Jamestown, 
Virginia. There were 102 men in the party. They cut down trees, 
built houses and planted corn. They had a charter and were ruled 
by a governor appointed by the King. (Note 14) 

People from all parts of Europe now settled in the English colo¬ 
nies. The Dutch planted a colony at New York in 1613, the Swedes 
at New Jersey and in Pennsylvania; and so on until there were 13 
colonies along the Atlantic seacoast under the protection of and 
owing allegiance to, the King of England. 

Everywhere the English people met with cruel treatment from 
the Indians. The thirteen English colonies were born in blood. 
They suffered the hardships of long frozen winters, of the heat and 
famine of dry summers, of sickness, privation, and unaccustomed 
labor, of the treachery of the Indians, of the jealousy of the other 
white nations north and south of them. And they also suffered 
from the stillness of the vast solitudes of this strange new country. 

Still immigrants kept coming from the over crowded countries 
of Europe and in 1773, Georgia, the last of the English colonies, was 
• founded. 


The Thirteen English Colonies. 


Virginia .1607 

New York . 1613 

Massachusetts. 1620 

New Hampshire. 1623 

Connecticut .1633 

Maryland . 1634 

Rhode Island .1636 

Delaware .1638 

North Carolina .1653 

New Jersey.1664 

South Carolina...1670 

Pennsylvania .1682 

Georgia .1733 


9 















Each of the thirteen colonies was ruled by la governor, usually 
appointed by the king, who was assisted by a council. (Note 15) 
The English rule was not satisfactory to the colonists for the two 
countries were entirely different in environment and necessities. 

A bitter feeling gradually grew up between the colonies and the 
mother country which finally resulted in the Revolutionary War. 
The colonies freeing themselves from the rule of G-reat Britain be¬ 
came “The United States of America.” (Note 16) 

Notes. 

Note 13.—In 1608, Quebec, the oldest French town in America, was 
founded. (Teacher: Tell about “Colonial Wars.”) 

Note 14.—In 1619 the first law making body met at the little 
church in Virginia. They formed the first House of Burgesses. 
They had power to enact laws for the colonies. 

Slavery was introduced that same year. Twenty negro slaves 
were purchased from a Dutch trading vessel. The King sent eighty 
young women to become wives to the planters. 

Note 15—Explain different kinds of government. Royal; Pro¬ 
prietary; and Charter. 

Note 16—This war was the result of unjust treatment from Great 
Britain which had sent troops to help during the last of the Colonial 
Wars and which now refused to withdraw them. The colonists re¬ 
belled at the quartering of troops in times of peace, and at the 
taxation imposed on them FOR THE SUPPORT OP THESE 
TROOPS WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. They had no voice in 
Parliament and claimed that, “Taxation without representation is 
tyranny.” They also rebelled at the enforcement of trade laws 
which forced them to trade with England. 

Ten years before this (1765) nine of the colonies sent delegates 
to protest against “The Stamp Act.” The “Stamp Act” was re¬ 
pealed in 1766, but at the same time another declaratory act was 
passed which laid a tax on paint, paper, tea and other articles. 
(Teacher: Tell story of the “Boston Tea Party.”) 

Questions. 

1. What nations now claimed this country? 

2. Which made settlements first? 

3. When was St. Augustine settled? 

4. Tell of the French settlements? 

5. Where did the English finally settle? 

6. What was the date of the first and last settlements? 

7. Tell the story of the settlement of Jamestown. 

8. How many English settlements were made? 

9. Name them. 

10. What wars did England and France have? 

11. How did England help in these wars? 

12. What part did the Indians take in these wars? • 


10 



In 1774, twelve of the thirteen colonies met in a CONTINENTAL 
CONGRESS in Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia. They issued ad¬ 
dresses to the Colonies, to Great Britain, and to Canada. They 
stated what their grievances were and asked for necessary changes. 
They adjourned to meet again in; May, 1775. 

There petitions were 4^nored by the King of England and war 
broke out on April 19, 1775. The British attempted to take pos¬ 
session of ammunition which the colonists had at Lexington, a small 
town in Massachusetts, about nineteen miles from Boston. (Note 
17.) 

When the second Continental Congress met in May, it was forced 
to become a governing body. When it met in September, it was 
merely a number of men meeting to consult about the public welfare. 
Now it was the head of a rebellious country engaged in a fierce 
and bloody conflict for liberty, fighting against the trained soldiers 
of a wealthy nation. (Note 18)‘ 

Congress declared patriots who had gathered around Boston to be 
tfle Continental Army and appointed George Washington as com¬ 
mander-in-chief. (Note 19) 


11 


The thirteen! colonies were now under the rule of the Continental 
Congress which met regularly. On the 4th day of July, 1776, Con¬ 
gress declared that the thirteen colonies were and ought to be free 
and independent states. (Note 20) From that day there were 
known as “The United States of America.” (Note 21) 



Notes. 

Note 17.—Skirmish of Lexington. On the evening of April the 
18th, 1775, General Gage, Royal Governor of Massachusetts, sent 
800 regulars to Concord to surprise and capture two patriots—Sam¬ 
uel Adams and John Hancock—and to destroy ammunition that the 
patriots were collecting and hiding at Concord. The patriots were 
warned by Paul Revere who rode through the night and roused the 
people. When the British reached Lexington, on the morning of the 


12 


a/ojSo^ 





19th, they found their way barred by “minute men,’^ who refused 
to move when ordered back by Major Pitcairn. The British fired 
and wounded sixteen. They went on and destroyed what military 
stores they could find at Concord. They fought the patriots who 
were gathering in from the surrounding country. About noon the 
British started back to Boston. From behind every rock, tree, fence, 
barn or bank the patriots fired upon them—Indian fashion. Their 
march turned to a retreat and then to a run. Very few would have 
reached Boston if re-enforcements had not met them near Lexing¬ 
ton. At the news of this skirmish patriots swarmed in from every 
village and farm. Every man and boy who could find a gun, no 
matter how old or delapidated it was, hurried toward Boston. That 
night the hills overlooking the town were black with “Minute Men.” 
The war was on. 

Note 18—The Battle of Bunker Hill. After the fight at Concord 
and Lexington, the King of England sent over thousands of troops 
until there were 10,000 regulars in Boston, under generals Howe, 
Clinton, and Burgoyne. The patriots were still quartered on the 
hills overlooking the town. On the night of June 16th, 1775, 1200 
patriots under Major Prescott fortified Breeds Hill (near Bunker 
Hill) by throwing up rude intrenchments. When the British awoke 
on the morning of the 17th they were surprised to see the patriots 
ready to fight them. General Gage sent 3,000 regulars to drive 
them from the hill. They crossed in boats from Boston and formed 
on the open green fields below the hills. It was a beautiful sight. 
The bright red of the British uniform stood out startlingly against the 
vivid green of the spring foliage. The sunlight sparkled on the gold 
lace of the officers’ dress and reflected from the spiked bayonets of 
the soldiers. Prom the trenches on the hills where the patriots 
crouched, worn and tired from a night of hard and silent work, it 
looked like a dress review. The trained soldiers of the king turned 
and wheeled, marching and counter marching, forming in regular 
lines, rank behind rank, while the patriots lay waiting to make 
their first great stand; waiting to show these drilled soldiers what 
spirit—what metal they were made of. 

It was noon when the British, under General Howe, charged the 
hill briskly. The patriots waited. No shot was fired until the enemy 
was within thirty yards. Then blazed forth such a deadly volley 
that the British were driven from the hill. At the foot they reformed 
•and charged again. A second time they were forced to retreat. 
They fought now with savage intensity but were forced slowly from 
the hill. The third time they formed and charged. The patriots 
were without powder. The fight was now a hand to hand conflict 
and the patriots were forced to retreat. Their loss was over 400 
but the British loss was over 1,000. Thus the first battle was fought 
before the colonies had a regular army or a commander-in-ehief. 
The raw material of undisciplined recruits went through the scourg¬ 
ing flames of battle and proved itself true metal. The British had 
won only because the patriots had not another round of ammunition. 


J3 


Questions. 

1. How were the English colonies ruled? 

2. Why was English rule not satisfactory? 

3. How long was this bitter feeling growing before it brought 
about war? 

4 Tell of three things that the colonies complained of ? 

5. Why were English soldiers quartered on the colonists in 
times of peace? 

6. Who supported these troops? 

7. Tell of the Continental Congress that met in 1774. 

8. Where did they meet? 

9. What papers did they write ? 

10. When they adjourned what time was set for their next meet¬ 
ing? 

11. Before their next meeting what had happened? 

12. Tell the story of the skirmish of Lexington. 

Note 19—General Washington took formal command of the Con¬ 
tinental army on the 3rd day of July, 1775, under a spreading elm 
tree in Cambridge on the outskirts of Boston. For eight months he 
kept the British shut up in Boston while he drilled his troops and 
gathered ammunition. Troops from Maryland, Virginia, and Penn¬ 
sylvania joined the army. 

Note 20—The committee which wrote the Declaration was ap¬ 
pointed by Congress. The committee consisted of Thomas Jefferson, 
Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Liv¬ 
ingston. 

Note 21.—On June 14, 1777 Congress adopted our national flag. 
It had then only thirteen stars and thirteen stripes to represent the 
thirteen colonies. 


Questions. 

1. What great work was the new nation now called upon to do ? 

2. Who governed the colonies during the war? 

3. What great paper did the Continental Congress sign July 4, 
1776? 

4. Tell the story of '‘Liberty Bell.” 

5. When was our flag adopted? 

6 Describe it. Wliat do you think the colors stand for? 

7. What does each star stand for? 

8. How many stars in our flag to-day? 

Questions. 

1. Describe in full the first battle of the Revolutionary War. 

2. Why is this battle so important? 

3. What did Congress do when it met in May 1775? 

4. When did Washington take formial command? Where? 

5. What was his flrst work? 

6. How long did the Revolutionary war last? 

7. Who helped us after 1777 ? 

8. What was the last engagement of the war? 

9. When was the treaty of peace signed? 


14 


INDEPENDENCE BELL, JULY 4, 1776. 


When the declaration of independence was adopted by Congress, 
the event was announced by ringing the old State-House bell, which 
bore the inscription ‘‘Proclaim liberty throughout the land, to all 
the inhabitants thereof!’’ The old bellman stationed his little grand¬ 
son at the door of the hall to wait the instructions of the door-keeper 
when to ring. At the word the young patriot rushed out, and 
clapping his hands, shouted: “Ring! Ring! Ring!”’ 

INDEPENDENCE BEDE. 

There wtas tumult in the city 
In the quaint old Quaker town, 

And the streets were rife with people 
Pacing restless up and down— 

People gathered at the coirners. 

Where they whispered each to each, 

And the sweat stood on their temples 
With the earnestness of speech. 

As the bleak Atlantic currents 
Lash the wild New Poundland shore, 

So they beat against the State-House, 

So they surged against the door; 

And the mingling of their voices 
Made a harmony profound, 

Tilll the quiet street of Chestnut 
Was all turbulent with sound. 

“Will they do it?” “Dare they do it?” 

“Who is speaking?”' “What’s the news?” 

“What of Adams?” “What of Sherman?” 

“Oh, God grant they won’t refuse!”’ 

“Make some way there!” “Let me nearer!’’ 

‘T am stifling!” “Stifle them!” 

“When a nation’s life’s at hazard, 

“We’ve no time 'to think oif men.” 

So they surged against the State House, 

While all solemly inside 

Sat the “Continental Congress,” 

Truth and reason for their guide. 

O’er 'a simple scroll debating. 

Which theugh simple it might be. 

Yet shoulld shake the cliffs of England 
With the thunders of the free. 

Far aloft in that high steeple 
Sat the bellman old and gray; 

He was weary of the tyrant 
And his ironnsceptered sway, 

So he sat with one hand ready 
On the clapper of the bell. 

When his eye could catch the signal, 

The long expected news to tell. 


See! See! The dense crowd quivers 
Through all its lengthy line. 

As the boy beside the portal 


15 


Hastens forth to give the sign! 

With his little hand uplifted, 

Breezes dallying with his hair, 

Hark! With deep clear intonation, 
Breaks the young voice on the air. 

Hushed the people’s swellling murmur, 
Whilst the boy cries joyously: 

“Ring!” He shouts, “Ring! Grandpa, 
“Ring! Oh ring foir liberty!” 

Quickly, at the given signal 
The old bellman lifts his hand. 

Forth he sends the good news making 
Iron music through the land. 

How they shouted! What rejoicing! 
How the old bell shook the air, 

Till the clang of freedom ruffled 
The calmly gliding Delaware! 

How the bonfires and the torches 
Lighted up the night’s repose. 

And from the flames, like Phoenix, 

Our glorious liberty arose. 

That old State-House bell is silent. 
Hushed is now its clamoroius tongue; 
But the spirit it awakened 
Still is living—ever young; 

And when we greet the smiling sunlight 
On the fourth o'f each July, 

We will ne’er forget the bellman 
Who betwixt the earth and sky. 

Rung out loudly, “Independence;’’' 
Which, please God, shall never die!' 











Note 22.—The darkest hour of the Kevolution was the winter at 
Valley Forge in 1777. The British occupied Philadelphia and Wash¬ 
ington’s army was in open camp at Valley Forge. The men were 
half fed and poorly clothed. Often they left bloody foot-prints in 
the snow. Washington was ignored and insulted by the British. 
He gave his own money to buy food and clothes for his men. He 
shared with them the rough cold camp life. By his unfailing dig¬ 
nity and courage he saved his army and kept the flame of patriotism 
burning. Baron Steuben spent that dreadful winter with Washing¬ 
ton at Valley Forge. He drilled the troops and* taught them the 
use of the bayonet; reorganizing them on, the European plan. 

Previous to this, in the fall of 1777, the great battle of Saratoga 
was fought in New York. On the 17th of October, 1777, Burgoyne, 
commanding the northern division of the British army, fought the 
Americans under General Gates, who had just received command 
of the northern division of the American army. The credit of this 
great victory should not have been given to Gates but to Benedict 
Arnold—who, mounted on a powerful black horse, dashed over the 
field shouting land encouraging his men—followed by such staunch 
supporters as Morgan and his sharp-shooters and gained for the 
Americans one of the world’s decisive battles. Gates remained in 
his tent on Bemis Heights throughout this battle. Arnold later 
committed treason. 

Burgoyne was forced to surrender his entire army. And because 
of this great decisive battle France recognized us as -a nation and 
helped us with ships and money. 

Note 23.—The Seige of Yorktown. The last great battle.^ And so 
the war raged for eight years, laying waste the land, burning cities, 
and destroying property. The end oame on the 19th of October, 
1781, when General Cornwallis, commanding the great southern 
division of the British army, surrendered to General George Wash¬ 
ington. 

Cornwallis had fortified himself on the peninsula of Yorktown in 
Virginia, and there the Continental army, under Washington and 
the French fieet, under De Grasse, surrounded and besieged him. 

The seige began Sept. 28, 1781. Then followed days and nights 
when shot and shell were thrown into the city. Those imprisoned 
could neither rest nor sleep. They suffered for water and food and 
at last were forced to surrender. 

On the 18th of October, 1781, Cornwallis sent two officers to ar¬ 
range terms of surrender. On the following day, October 19, Corn¬ 
wallis surrendered his whole army as prisoners of war. 

The American army was drawn up in long lines outside of York¬ 
town, when with muffled drums the weary, broken soldiers of the 
King of England filed slowly out and stacked their arms. Not a 
Patriot cheered, not a sign of victory was given. The Patriots 
looked at their own smoke stained, tattered stars and stripes hang¬ 
ing limply in the soft October haze; and lifted a prayer of thanks 
to God, the war was over. 


17 



“I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Republic for which 
it stands; one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” 


18 



GEORGE WASHINGTON 


PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 


1 . 

2 . 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6 . 

7. 

8 . 

9. 

10 . 

11 . 

12 . 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

20 . 

21 . 

22 . 

23. 

24. 

25. 

26. 

27. 

28. 


George Washington,. 

.1789-1797 

John Adams . 

.1797-1801 

Thomas Jefferson. 

.1801-1809 

James Madison . 

.1809-1817 

James Monroe . 

.1817-1825 

John Quincy Adams. 

.1825-1829 

Andrew Jackson . 

.1829-1837 

Martin Van Buren . 

.1837-1841 

William H. Harrison.. 

.1841-one month 

John Tyler . 

.1841-1845 

James J. Polk. 

.1845-1859 

Zachary Taylor . 

.1849-1850 1 year and 4 months 

Millard Fillmore . 

.1850-1853 2 years and 8 months 

Franklin Pierce . 

.1853-1857 

James Buchanan .. 

.1857-1861 

Abraham Lincoln. 

.1861-1865 

Andrew Johnson . 

.1865-1869 

Ulysses S. Grant . 

.1869-1877 

Rutherford B. Hayes. 

.1877-1881 

James A. Garfield . 

..6 months and 15 days 

Chester A. Arthur. 

.1881-1885 

Grover Clevelta,nd . 

.1885-1889 

Benjamin Harrison . 

.1889-1893 

Grover Cleveland . 

.1893-1897 

William McKinley . 

.1897-1901 

Theodore Roosevelt. 

.1901-1909 

William H. Taft. 

.1909-1913 

Woodrow Wilson . 

.1913- 




1 


19 






























THE UNITED STATES. 

The United States now found themselves a young nation with a 
great work to do. They must form new laws and establish credit 
with other nations. 

During the war Congress formed a plan of government called, the 
Articles of Confederation, which went into effect March 1, 1781. 

From 1781 to 1787 the United States was governed by these 
Articles of Confederation. It was soon found that this form of 
government was not strong enough. There was no head to the 
government. The Articles of Confederation represented the people 
but not the states. It provided for the making of laws but for no 
way of enforcing them. In other words—there was no president, 
no Senate, and no Supreme Court. 

It now became necessary to form new laws; therefore Congress 
called a convention asking for more power. When this convention 
met, June 1787, it was decided to make ^an entire set of new laws. 
The committee worked for six months and created the CONSTITU¬ 
TION of the United States as it stands today, the laws and by-laws 
of the greatest republic on earth. (Note 24) 

Notes. 

Note 24—The Constitution was written in 1787, signed in 1788 by 
eleven of the States and went into effect in 1789. George Washing¬ 
ton was chosen as first president and John Adams became his vice 
president. (Teacher: Explain other kinds of government.) 

Questions. 

1. How wais the United States governed from 1781 to 1787? 

2. Why was this not a good form of government ? 

3. In June of 1787 what did the Continental Congress plan to do? 

4. When they decided to m^ake new laws how long did it take 
them ? 

5. What were the new laws called? 

6. When were they written and by whom? 

7. When signed and when put into effect? 

8. Who was the first President and Vice President? 

9. Who is the President of the United States today? 

10. Tell something about the 16th President of the United States. 

11. What great paper did he sign? 



20 








THE CONSTITUTION. 


Preamble of the Constitution. 

We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more 
perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide 
for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure 
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and 
establish this Constitution for the United States of America. 

Departments of the Government. 

The constitution provides for a President and other officers; for 
a Congress or body of men to make laws; and for judges and courts 
to interpret the laws so that injustice through wrong application 
of the laws should not be done to the people of the United States. 

The Executive Department—Officers 

President, Vice President and Cabinet. 

The Legislative Department—Congress 

Senate and House of Representatives. 

The Judicial Department 
Judges. 

Congress is composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives. 
They meet to make our laws at Washington, the Capital of the 
United States, on the first Monday in December of each year. The 
Senate represents the States and the House of Representatives rep¬ 
resents the people. 

There are ninety-six Senators; two from each state. Each Senator 
must be thirty years of age and have been a citizen of the United 
States for nine years. (Note 25) They are elected for six years, 
directly by the people of the states. The Vice President of the 
United States is the President of the Senate. 

There are four hundred and thirty-five Representatives elected by 
the people in the several states for a term of two years. A Repre¬ 
sentative must be twenty-five years of age and have been for 
seven years a citizen of the United States. The number of Repre¬ 
sentatives for each state depends on the population of the state. 
California has eleven. They choose their presiding officer from 
their o-wn members. He is called the “Speaker.” In California 
there is one representative for every 211,000 people. 

The Constitution gives these two houses of Congress power to 
raise revenues for the support of the Government; it gives them 
power to govern themselves; and to defend the United States against 
foreign powers; to declare war and to provide for 'and support 
military and naval forces. 

Note 25.—Hon. James D. Phelan, of San Francisco, is the first 
United States Senator to be elected by the direct vote of the people 
of California. He was elected mayor of San Francisco three times 
and was very prominent in 1906, after the great fire, on the Citizens’ 
Relief Committee. 


21 


POWERS OF CONGRESS. 


Congress has power: 

To levy and collect taxes; but all duties, excises, and imposts shall 
be uniform throughout the United States. 

To make loans and to borrow money on the credit of the United 
States. 

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several 
states, and with Indian tribes. 

To establish uniform rules of naturalization. 

To control the coinage of United States money, and to fix the 
standard of weights and measures. It has power to punish coun¬ 
terfeiters. 

To establish Post Offices and roads. 

To establish Federal Courts for applying and enforcing these laws. 

Questions. 

1. Why was this constitution written? 

2. Whom does it represent? 

3. How many departments to our Federal Government? 

4. What is Congress? 

5. Who are members of the Executive Department? 

6. Who are members of the Judicial Department? 

Legislative Department ? 

7. When does Congress meet? Where? 

8. What does the Senate represent? 

9. Who rej>resents the people? 

10. How many Senators from each state? 

11. How many in all? 

12. Who may be a Senator? For how long? 

13. How are Senators elected? 

14. Who is the presiding officer in, the Senate? 

15. What office does the Vice President hold in the Senate? 

16. How is the number of Representatives determined? 

17. How many Representatives has California? 

18. For how long are they elected? And how? 

19. Who is the “Speaker?” 

20. Who may become a Representative ? 

21. Where must all bills for raising revenue or for appropriating 
money originate? 

22. What are the most important powers given to Congress? 

THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. 

The officers of the Executive Department are: The President, 
Vice President, and the members of the Cabinet, who are selected by 
the President with the consent of the Senate. 

The President holds office for four years. He is elected by the 
people through electors. He must be thirty-five years old and a 
native bom American. The Vice President must have the same 
qualifioa,tions as the President. 


22 


The ten members of the Cabinet are: The Secretary of State ; 
Secretary of the Treasury; Secretary of War; Attoney General; 
Postmaster General; Secretary of the Navy; Secretary of the In¬ 
terior ; Secretary of Agriculture; Secretary of Labor and Secretary 
of Commerce. 

Each of these administrative departments has its own special 
work to do, and hundreds of trained clerks to keep exact records 
of the business of each department. 

The Secretary of State. 

The Secretary of State carries on all communications with foreign 
ministers and counsels abroad; issues passports to Americans visiting 
foreign countries. He has charge of treaties and keeps a public 
record of these transactions for the Government. He publishes the 
President’s message and is the custodian of the Great Seal of the 
United States. (He issues warrants for the extradition of criminals 
from foreign countries.) 

The Secretary of Treasury. 

The Secretary of the Treasury is the head of the Treasury Depart¬ 
ment and has charge of the financial affairs of our country. It is 
his duty to prepare and suggest plans for increasing our revenue and 
supporting the credit of the United States. He must see to the col¬ 
lecting of customs, duties, internal taxes, and the new income tax. 
He must supervise the banks and the coinage of money. Note below 
on Mints. 

The coins of the United States are gold (which is our unit of 
value), silver, nickel, and copper. The paper moneys are gold and 
silver certificates, greenbacks, bank notes, and new revenue notes. 

BANKS. 

National. 

A National Bank is a bank existing under a charter given by the 
National Government. Its accounts and securities are under the 
inspection of la Federal Comptroller. 

Federal Reserve. 

A Federal Reserve Baaik is a bank in which all National Banks are 
required under the law, to become subscribers to and must carry 
certain reserve deposits as a guarantee against money stringencies. 
A State Bank may become a subscriber to the Federal Reserve 
Bank if it so desires. 

Mints. 

The United States coins are made in Mints in San Francisco, (Mis¬ 
sion Street corner of Fifth) Denver, Carson City, (Note 26) New 
Orleans and Philadelphia. We have a system of free coinage of 
gold. The owner takes the bullion to the mint where it is coined into 
gold pieces. The full value is returned to him in gold coins. Silver 
is bought in the open market and coined for the use of the govern¬ 
ment. 

Notes. 

Note 26.—At writing (1916) the Carson City mint is used only as 
an assay office. 


23 


Questions. 

Executive Department. 

1. Who are the officers of the Executive Department? 

2. Who may become President? 

3. What are his duties? 

4. Name the ten Cabinet Officers. 

5. Who helps these officers? 

6. What are the duties of the Secretary of State? 

7. Tell three duties of the Secretary of the Treasury. 

8. What are mints? 

9. Where are the United States mints? 

10. Describe our system of coinage. 

The Secretary of War. 

The Secretary of War has charge of the National defense. (Note 
27) The War Department has the spending of money apportioned 
by Congress for the improvement of harbors and rivers and of 
navigation,. It has charge of the signal service. 

The Secretary of the Navy. 

The Secretary of the Navy has charge of the naval forces. The 
Navy Department issues nautical charts and almanacs. 

The Attorney General. 

The Attorney General is the head of the Department of Justice 
and is the chief law officer of the United States. He has charge of 
all suits in which the United States is concerned as a party. The 
President or any member of the Cabinet may ask his advice legally 
without charge. Under him are all United States district attorneys 
and marshals. 

The Postmaster General. 

The Postmaster General has charge of the Postal Koads and 
services, the appointing of postmasters, and the sending of money by 
means of Money Orders. This department fixes the rates of postage 
and classifies mail matter. It makes postal arrangements with for¬ 
eign countries. The Parcel Post, which has been established only 
a few years, competes with the express companies. 

The postal service has charge of the Postal Savings Banks and the 
Universal Postal Union, including all important countries. It is 
thought by many that the government should have charge of the 
telegraph and telephone systems also. 

Questions. 

1. What are the duties of the Secretary of War? 

.2. What wars has the United States been engaged in? 

3. Who has charge of our Navy? 

4. What are his duties? 

5. Who is the chief law officer of the United States? 

6. Whom does he give legal advice to? 

7. What are some of the duties of the Post Master General ? 


24 


The Secretary of the Interior. 

The Secretary of the Interior has supervision of: The Indian 
Bureau (Note 28); the general land office, sales, surveys, and the 
reclamation of vast areas of desert land by putting in great irrigat¬ 
ing ditches, dams and reservoirs; granting homesteads; making geo¬ 
logical surveys (Mines); has charge of national parks; protection of 
the forests and the water powers; and the general management and 
leasing of the public lands. Under the Department of the Interior 
is the Patent Office, the pension office, the Census office, and a Bureau 
of Education which collects facts showing the progress of education 
throughout the United States. 

Note on Homesteaders rights. 

The Secretary of Agriculture. 

The Secretary of Agriculture also has many duties. It is his duty 
to investigate diseases of plants and animals and the best methods of 
cultivating the soil. 

The Secretary of Labor. 

The Secretary of Labor has charge of labor statistics (including 
child labor), and supervises immigration and naturalization. 

There are other commissions, such as: The Interstate Commerce 
Commission, whose work it is to see that the railroads passing from 
one state to another treat all persons equally and fairly in the matter 
of freight rates, etc. 

The Fishery Commission is to preserve and increase the stock of 
fish in rivers and lakes of the United States. 

The Civil Service Commission has charge of the competitive exam¬ 
inations by which the thousands of clerks in the postal service, the 
Customs Houses, etc., secure their positions. 


Note.—The Homestead Act. 

In 1862 Congress passed the Homestead Act, which provided that 
any head of a family might receive a quarter section of land (160 
acres) if he would live on it for five years and pay a small fee. 

There is a great deal of public land still unsettled but some of it 
is useless because of its desert character. 

The national government through the Department of Interior is 
reclaiming vast areas by constructing great reservoirs and canals. 


Notes. 

Note 27.—Following are the dates of the principal wars of the 
United States, and the number of troops engaged: 

Revolutionary War .1775-1783 309,781 

War of ‘1812 .1812-1815 576,622 

Florida Indian War.1835-1843 41,122 

Mexican War . 1846-1848 112,230 

Civil War. 1861-1865 2,772,408 

Spanish-American War . -1898 274,717 

Philippine Insurrection .-.1899-1900 60,000 

Note 28.—The United States has set aside certain lands for the 
exclusive use of the Indians. There are 186 of these Indian reserva¬ 
tions in the United States. The government supports them; gives 
them schools; farming implements; food, clothing, and care. ; 


25 









Questions. 

1. Who has charge of the Indian Bureau? 

2. Tell what the Government does for the Indians to-da 3 \ 

3. What are some of the other duties of the Secretary of In¬ 
terior ? 

4. What are ‘TIomesteaders?’’ 

5. What is Agriculture? 

6. What does the Secretary of Agriculture do? 

7. Why is this department so important? 

8. Who supervises the immigration and naturalization of for¬ 
eigners? 

9. Why is this so important ? 

10. What other duties has this department? 

11. Name some other commissioners and their duties. 

THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT OF THE UNITED STATES. 

Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, District Courts. 

There is one Supreme Court. It meets in Washington on the 
second Monday in October. It is composed of one Supreme Judge 
and eight Associate Justices. 

All Federal Judges are appointed by the President with the 
approval of the Senate. They hold office for life or during good 
behavior. 

The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in cases that affect 
ambassadors and consuls, in cases where a state is a party. Cases 
that exceed $5,000 may be appealed from the lower courts; or cases 
from the State courts involving an interpretation of the Constitution. 

Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals. 

The United States is divided into nine circuits with one justice of 
the Supreme Court as the head and assisted by special Circuit Judge 
or the resident District Judge. California is in the 9th Circuit. 
The Circuit Courts have appellate jurisdiction in suits between citi¬ 
zens of different states or between a citizen and an alien, and in 
patent, copyright, revenue, criminal, and admiralty cases. 

Federal District Courts. 

The Circuits are divided into 78 districts, each state constituting 
at least a single district. California has two United States District 
Courts. Terms of court for the Southern District are held at Fresno, 
Los Angeles, and San Diego, and for the Northern District at San 
Francisco and Sacramento. 

The United States District Court is the one in which Federal cases 
usually begin. It has jurisdiction in the following matters, viz: 

Patent and Copyright laws; Postal, Internal Revenue, and Custom 
Laws, Immigration and Contract Labor Laws; Admiralty, Marine, 
and Commerce Cases; and suits involving the rights and privileges 
secured by the Federal Constitution and Laws. 

There is also a Court of Claims which consists of five judges who 
sit at Washington and try eases of any person who has a claim 
against the government or against any state. Congress then adjusts 
the matter. 


26 


All crimes, except impeachment, are to be tried by jury. There 
are Grand and Petit Juries. 

The Grand Jury consists of from 16 to 23 persons whose names are 
chosen from a box containing the names of at least 300 persons who 
pe qualified by state law for such service. The Grand Jury finds 
indictments of persons accused of crime against the Federal Law. 

The Petit Jury consists of twelve men chosen in the same way. 
They serve in criminal cases and may be demanded in civil cases. 

Questions. 

Judicial Department. 

1. What is the highest court in the United States? 

2. Where does it meet? When? 

3. How many Judges and Justices? 

4. How long do they hold office? And how appointed? 

5. What are their duties? 

6 Describe the Circuit Courts of Appeal? 

7. What is their jurisdiction? 

8. How many Federal District Courts? 

9. How are they arranged? Why? 

10. How many has California? 

11. What is their jurisdiction? 

12. What is a jury? 

13. How selected? 

14. Who may have a jury trial? 

15. What other inferior Federal Courts has the United States? 

Article V—Amendments to the Constitution. 

Amendments may be proposed by Congress, two-thirds of each 
house voting favorably, or by a convention called by Congress on 
application of two-third of the State Legislatures. 

An amendment becomes valid when ratified by Legislatures or 
Conventions of three-fourths of the states. 

Amendments to the Constitution. 

Amendments 1 to 10 embody the Bill of Rights or the Anglo-Saxon 
Chapter of Personal Liberty. 

They provide for Freedom of Religion, speech, press; right of 
peacable assembly, and of petition for redress of grievances, right 
of states to maintain a militia and protection against quartering 
soldiers in private homes in times of peace, right of security against 
unreasonable searches and seizures; right of trial by jury after in¬ 
dictment by Grand Jury; and protection -against excessive bail, 
excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishments. 

Amendment 11 prohibits a suit -against a state or citizens of 
another state in Federal Courts. 

Amendment 12 provides for separate ballots for President and 
Vice President in the Electoral College. (Note 29) 

Amendment 13 abolishes all slavery in the United States. 

Amendment 14 defines citizenship and provides for the protection 
of life, liberty, and property of every citizen. 


27 


Amendment 15 guarantees the right of franchise or voting to all 
citizens. 

Amendment 16 makes an income tax constitutional. 

Amendment 17 provides for the direct election of United States 
Senators by the people of each state instead of the legislature. 

Articles XVI :and XVII were added as Amendments to the Con¬ 
stitution in the early part of the year 1913. 

Questions. 

1. What is an amendment? How Proposed? How adopted? 
How many have been added to the Constitution since 1789? 

2. What do the first ten amendments embody? 

3. What are the eleventh and twelfth about? 

4. What great war was the United States engaged in from 1861 
to 1865? 

5. What three amendments were added after the Civil War? 
What are they about? 

6. When were the last two 'amendments added to the Constitu¬ 
tion? What are they about? 



28 





California State Government. 

The powers of the government of California are divided into three 
separate departments. 

The Legislative Department—The Senate and Assembly, called the 
Legislature. 

The Executive Department—Governor, Lieutenant Governor and 
the State Executive Officers. 

The Judicial Department—The Judges. 

The State Legislature. 

The Senate is composed of forty Senators. The state is divided 
into forty senatorial districts with a Senator for each district. They 
hold office for four years. 

A State Senator must be 21 years of age and a citizen of the State 
of California for at least three years, and of his district for one year 
prior to the election. The Lieutenant Governor is the presiding 
officer of the Senate. 

The Assembly is composed of eighty members from the eighty as¬ 
sembly districts into which the state is divided. The division of the 
state into senatorial and assembly districts changes every ten years 
according to census. The districts are as nearly equal in population 
•as possible. The qualifications for assemblyman are the same as 
those for senator. The term of office is two years. They elect one 
of their own members as Speaker. 

Powers of the Legislature. 

No exact list can be made of these powers for they are almost un¬ 
limited in regard to the state and local government, the police, 
public education, and general welfare. 

Limitations of State Government. 

The Legislature cannot exercise powers granted to the Federal 
Government, such as coinage, postal service, and tariff. Certain 
powers are denied the state in the Constitution, such as making 
treaties, granting titles of nobility, passing expost facto laws or to 
levy duties on exports or imports. They can do almost anything 
not prohibited by the U. S. Constitution. 

The Governor’s Veto. 

If a bill is vetoed, it does not become a law unless two-thirds of 
both houses pass it over the veto. (Note 30) 

The Initiative. 

By a petition signed by eight per cent of the voters an act can 
be submitted directly to the people and become a law without the 
action of the Legislature. 

The Referendum. 

None but emergency acts passed by the Legislature go into effect 
until ninety days after adjournment. If meanwhile a petition is 
signed by 5 per cent of the voters, the law does not go into effect 
unless the people decide in favor of it at an election. 

29 


Committees. 

Each house has many important committees, those on Finance 
or ways and means, corporations, judiciary, revenue, taxation, edu¬ 
cation, elections, local governments, public morals, federal relation, 
are the most important. 


Notes. 

Note 29.—Article II, Section I, U. S. Constitution. 

Note 30.—In order for a bill to become a law it must go through 
a certain process. It may be introduced in either house by one of 
its members. It is then submitted to an appropriate committee, 
and after they report favorably upon it—it is then read before the 
house three time on three separate days—and then voted upon. If 
it passes a majority it is sent to the other house -and it is read and 
voted upon. If it passes a majority there it is sent to the Governor. 
If the Governor signs it—it is stamped with the Great Seal of the 
State of California and becomes a law. 

If the Governor refuses to sign it—it is sent back to the house in 
which it originated. This is called a veto. If it passes both houses 
by a majority of two-thirds after the Governor’s veto—it become a 
law in spite of the veto. 


Questions. 

1. When was California admitted into the Union as a State? 

2. How many divisions to our state government? 

3. What are they? 

4. What composes the Legislative Department? The Executive 
Department? The Judicial Department? 

5. Into how many Senatorial Districts is California divided? 

6. How many Senators from each district? How many in all? 
For what term elected? 

7. How many Assembly districts is California divided into ? 

8. How many Assemblymen are elected from each district? 
How many in all ? 

9. What is their term of office 'and how are they elected? 

10. Who are the presiding officers in the Senate and Assembly? 

11. What is the State Senate and Assembly called? 

12. Where do they meet? When? 

13. What are their powers? 

14. Why can they not make laws about coinage, tariff, etc.? 

Questions. 

1. What is a veto? 

2. What is a bill? 

3. How does it become a law? 

4. If the Governor vetoes a bill how does it become a law ? 

5. What is the initiative? 

6. What is the Eeferendum? 


30 


The Executive Department—Oflacers. 

The Governor; the Lieutenant Governor; Secretary of State; Con¬ 
troller; Treasurer; Superintendent of Schools; (Note 31) Surveyor 
General; Attorney General. Each holds office for four years. 

The Governor must be twenty-five years old and a citizen of the 
Lbiited States and a resident of California for five years.* 

It is his duty to enforce the laws of the State. To represent the 
state in its dealings with the national government and with other 
states. It is his duty to make appointments and to act as Com- 
mander-in-Chief of the State National Guard. He issues orders of 
extradition. (Note 32) He either signs or vetoes all acts of the 
Legislature. -If he signs the bill he has it stamped with the Great 
Seal of the State and it then becomes a law. He may call special 
sessions of the Legislature. He makes suggestions in his message 
to the Legislature. He has power to pardon, commute, or reprieve 
after conviction in all cases except treason‘or impeachment. 

The Lieutenant Governor must have the same qualifications as the 
Governor because he becomes the Governor in case of a vacancy in. 
the Governorship. He presides over the Senate but votes only in the 
case of a tie. The Lieutenant Governor acts as a member of the 
board of regents of the State University, Berkeley, California. 

Appointive Boards and Officers 

The Superintendent of Banks must inspect all accounts and securi¬ 
ties of all banks operating under state charters. 

There are three kinds of Banks: 

The Savings Banks accept under certain restrictions, time deposits 
subject to check and withdrawal, which bear interest. 

The Commercial Banks accept deposits for checking accounts and 
bear no interest on deposits. 

The Trust Banks do all classes of trust business acting as trustee 
m the settlements of estates, collection of accounts, and the holding 
in trust all classes of papers. (Securities, execution of contracts, 
agreements, etc.) 

The Insurance Commission enforces state laws relating to insur¬ 
ance. There are fourteen kinds of insurance, direct or indirect, 
based on co-operation. 

The Commission of Immigration which looks after the welfare and 
housing of immigrants. 

Industrial Accident Commission’s duty is to investigate the condi¬ 
tion and employment of women and children and to fix minimum 
wage, hours and conditions, and compensation in cases of accidents 
arising during course of employment. 

*The present Governor is Hon. Hiram Johnson, twice elected to 
that office. 


31 


The Railroad Commission has power to regulate railroad rates in 
the state, and on public utilities such as gas, electric, telephone, and 
water companies. Its experts determine physical valuation of rail¬ 
roads and fix rates; through this commission the people of the state 
have taken the control of public utilities into their own hands. 

There are other commissions and boards too numerous to mention. 
Each has been created for some definite public need, and is intended 
to promote the public welfare. 

In some cases concentration might result in greater economy and 
efficiency. 

Note 31.—The State Superintendent of Public Instruction is elect¬ 
ed every four years by the people. The present superintendent is 
Edward Hyatt. 

Note 32.—Upon the request of the governor of another state, he 
issues the order for the return of any criminal who has fied from 
justice, if he believes such a course right. He is supposed to inquire 
into cases and if he does not believe that a valid indictment has been 
returned against the fugitive in the state from which he fled, he 
ordinarily does not grant extradition. There have been cases where 
governors refused to grant extradition when they believed politics 
or something akin to it was responsible for the attempt to prosecute 
the fugitive in his home state. 

Questions. 

1. Name the Executive Officers. 

2. What are their qualifications? 

3. How long is their term of office ? 

4. What are some of the duties of the Governor of California? . 

5. What is an order of extradition? 

6. What duties has the Lieutenant Governor? 

7. Name several other Commissioners and tell what powers they 
have. 

STATE FINANCES. 

Revenues. 

The sources of income of the state are the different kinds of taxes 
the Corporation tax; the inheritance tax; and from fees collected by 
state officers; licenses of automobiles; hunting and fishing licenses; 
etc. Income from state property, as the Perry Building at San 
Francisco; investments of school money, and if necessary, a property 
tax. 

Expenditures. 

The Legislature makes appropriations for the different expenses 
of the state. The Controller draws warrants which must first be 
approved by the State Board of Control. 

Taxation. 

Inheritance Tax is a Federal tax. It is a tax levied on property 
received by inheritance. 

The Income Tax —By the 16th amendment .Congress was given 
power to lay and collect taxes on incomes from whatever source 
derived without apportionment among the several states, and with¬ 
out regard to any census or enumeration. 


32 


The Coi^oration Tax is a tax on Corporations. They pay a per¬ 
centage of their gross revenne to the state which exempts them from 
all county and city taxes^ licenses, etc., on operative property. 
(Note 33) 

General Property Tax. —Property which is subject to taxes from 
its assessed valuation is exempt from state taxes. This applies to all 
property which does not come under the state Corporation Tax. 
It is divided into real estate, consisting of land and buildings, and 
personal property, including furniture, jewelry, money, and other 
forms of movable property. 

The taxes^ derived from this source go to the maintenance of 
counties, cities, and other political divisions in which the property 
is located. 


Notes. 

Note 33.—NonrOperative property owned by corporations is 
taxed in addition to the above, by the county and city in which 
the property is located. This tax is based on the assessed valuation 
the same as all other real estate owned by individuals. 

Operative property is all property owned by a corporation that 
is needed in the carrying on of its various branches of business. 

Non-operative property is property owned by a corporation not 
essential to the carrying on of its business at present time, but 
which is held for future extension of the business. 

Questions. 

1. What do you mean by the term “finance?’’ 

2. Where does the state revenue come from? 

3. What are appropriations? How made? 

4. What is a warrant By whom drawn and approved? 

5. What is taxation? For what purpose? 

6. Name several kinds. 

THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA. 

The Supreme Court. 

There is a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. They are 
elected by the people at large for twelve years and hold regular 
sessions in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles. 

They have appellate jurisdiction in cases appealed from the Su¬ 
perior Courts. Their original jurisdiction is their power to issue 
writs of mandamus, certiorari, prohibition, and habeas corpus. 
(Note 34) 

District Court of Appeals. 

The state is divided into three districts and there is a court con¬ 
sisting of three justices for each district—one sitting in San Fran¬ 
cisco, one ini Los Angeles and one in Sacramento. They are elected 
for a term of twelve years. 


33 


The Superior Courts. 

There is a superior court in each county and at least one judge 
thereof. Los Angeles County has eighteen judges elected by the 
county at large for six years. San Francisco has sixteen depart¬ 
ments, each presided over by a judge. 

The Superior Court has both appellate and original jurisdiction. 
It is our principal court in original jurisdiction. It tries all civil 
cases involving $300 or more, titles to real property, taxes and 
probate, guardianship and incompetency matters, divorce cases, and 
all equity cases and Justice Court appeals. 

It tries all felony cases and misdemeanors not otherwise provided 
for; commits all insane persons to the State Hospitals and tries 
criminal cases that may be appealed from town.ships or police courts. 

It may issue writs of mandamus, certiorari, prohibition, quo- 
warranto, and habeas corpus. (Note 35) 

There are two kinds of cases; civil and criminal. 

Civil cases are either law or equity. The different steps in the 
civil cases are the pleadings, the trial, judgment, and execution. 

In criminal cases which are misdemeanors or felonies, (Note 36) 
there is the indictment, the arrest, the examination, the arraignment, 
the trial, the judgment, and the execution. 

The Grand Jury. 

The Grand Jury in each county is composed of nineteen men se¬ 
lected by lot from a list of suitable persons from different parts of 
the county. It must be summoned at least once a year in each 
county. Its most important duties are to investigate the official 
conduct of all the county officers and boards, to investigate the crimes 
brought before it by the District Attorney and to find an indictment 
or charge, (Note 37) against persons it considers guilty. 

Trial Juries. 

In Los Angeles about two thousand and five hundred names are 
placed in the jury box on separate pieces of paper. They are drawn 
in panels as required by the court. In San Francisco there are two 
thousand and four hundred names. 

Inferior Courts. 

Each county is divided into judicial townships and each has at 
least one justice of the peace, elected by the township for four years. 

There are also Municipal Courts. 

Los Angeles has five city Justices of the Peace elected for four 
years. 

San Francisco has four Justices of the Peace and four Police 
Courts. (See Justice of Peace and Police Courts.) 


34 


The Juvenile Court. 

There is a Juvenile Court in each county presided over by a Su¬ 
perior Judge to deal with dependent and delinquent children, under 
twenty-one years of age. In some cases where a boy is accused of a 
serious crime such as robbery or murder he may be tried in the 
regular criminal department of the superior court regardless of 
whether he is under twenty-one years of age. 

The Senate as a Court of Impeachment. 

The Senate sits as a Court of Impeachment only when the Assem¬ 
bly decides to impeach some officer according to the State Consti¬ 
tution. 

Public officers may be removed in many different ways. 

The President or Vice President of the United States, Judges of 
the United States Courts, State Officers and Judges; of the State 
Courts are removed by impeachment. 

The charges are brought against the officer by the House of Rep¬ 
resentatives and are tried by the Senate. 

Appointed officers are removed by the will of the appointing 
power. 

The members of Congress or the State Legislature are removed by 
expulsion. 

State, District, County, City or Township officers are removed by 
an 'accusation which is brought by the Grand Jury of the County, or 
by a citizen. They are tried by the Supreme Court, or other Court 
of record of the County or district. 

Removal of Judges —of the Sui)reme District Court of Appeals, 
and Superior Courts. 

These judges may be removed by impeachment, by concurrent 
resolution of both houses of the Legislature and by the people 
through the recall. (Note 88) 

Notes. 

Notes 34 and 35.—■ 

Mandamus —^An order to some court, corporation, or person exer¬ 
cising public authority, commanding them to perform some special 
duty. 

Certiorari —An order to call up the records or remove a ease 
from an inferior court to a higher court in order to determine 
whether or not the lower court has exceeded its jurisdiction. 

Prohibition —The issue of a writ commanding an inferior court 
to cease hearing a certain case or directed to a corporation com¬ 
manding it to cease doing a certain thing. 

Habeas corpus —A writ ordering a prisoner to be taken before a 
court in order that it may be determined whether he is legally con¬ 
fined. If he is not legally confined he is discharged. 

Quo Warranto^ —A writ to inquire by what right a person or cor¬ 
poration or officer exercises certain powers. 

Note 36.—In criminal cases the arrest is not made unless a com¬ 
plaint has been issued or an indictment returned; unless the circum¬ 
stances make it necessary to take the defendant into custody before 
one can be issued or returned. 


35 


Felony is a crime punishable by death or imprisonment in State’s 
Prison. Any act in disobedience to the Law and which is less than 
a felony is called a misdemeanor. 

Note 37.—If an indictment is returned by the grand jury a 
warrant for the arrest of the defendant is issued by the presiding 
judge of the Superior Court. If a complaint is issued by the 
District Attorney, a Justice of the Peace or other magistrate issues 
the warrant. 

The defendant is arraigned, that is taken into court and informed 
of the charge and his rights, and then given a preliminary examina¬ 
tion before a magistrate. If the court considers there is a probable 
cause to believe the defendant guilty he is held to answer to the 
Superior Court, where he is tried by a jury. The judgment and 
execution of the sentence follow. 

Note 38.—Every elective public officer of the State of California 
may be removed from office by the electors through the recall. 

RECALL. 

In the City and County of San Francisco. 

Any elective officer, after holding office for four months, may be 
recalled by the voters of the City and County if they deem him 
unfit for the office. 

Upon the presentation of a petition signed by at least ten per 
cent of the entire vote cast for Mayor; the Board of Election Com¬ 
missioners shall, within ten days fix a date for a special election to 
fill this office. 

Not less than thirt 3 ^-five days nor more than fifty days afterwards, 
the election shall be held. 

The name of the officer who is being recalled shall be placed upon 
the ballot as a candidate without nomination; unless he requests 
it otherwise in writing. 

The candidate receiving the majority of all votes cast shall l)e 
declared elected. 


Questions. 

1. Tell what you can of the Supreme Court? 

2. How many District Courts of Appeal has California ? 

3. Where are they? 

4. How many Justices for each ? For how long are they elected ? 

5. What are the Superior Courts? How many has San Fran¬ 
cisco? Los Angeles? 

6. Why are they so important? 

7. What kinds of cases do they try? 

8. What is a civil case? What is a criminal case? 

9. Define felony; misdemeanor. 

10. What is the work of the Grand Jury? How are they drawn? 

11. What inferior courts has each county? 

12. What is the work of the Juvenile Court? 

13. When does the Senate act as a court? Explain. 

14. How are Judges removed from office? 

15. What is the ‘'Recall?” 


36 


THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO. 

The Charter of the City and County of San Francisco divides the 
government into three departments. The Legislative Department; 
the Executive Department; and the Judicial Department. 

Legislative—Board of Supervisors. 

Executive —Mayor land City and County Officers. 

Judicial—Judges. 

Board of Supervisors consists of eighteen members. They are 
elected by the people of San Francisco and hold office for two years, 
nine of whom are elected every second year. A supervisor must be 
an elector of the city and county at the time of his election and 
must have been such for at least five years prior to his election. 

They receive a salary of two hundred dollars a month. 

They meet every Monday unless it is a legal holiday; if so they 
must meet the following day. The Mayor of the City is their pre¬ 
siding officer; and any person who has served as a mayor of the 
city, and who is still a resident of the City and County, is entitled to 
a seat in the Board of Supervisors, and the right to debate; but not 
a vote nor compensation. 

The city laws are termed Ordinances. Every ordinance has the 
clause, “Be it ordained by the people of the City and County of San 
Francisco as follows:” 

To become an ordinance all bills and resolutions must be passed 
by a majority of the Supervisors who vote by ayes and noes. A 
public record of the same is then entered in the Journal by the Clerk 
of the Board. The Bill is then sent to the Mayor and if he approves 
of it he signs it and returns it within ten days. It is then stamped 
by the Clerk of the Board with the seal of the City and County of 
San Francisco; and takes elfect as an ordinance ten days later. 

If the Mayor does not return the bill within ten days it becomes 
an ordinance without his signature. If he returns it with objec¬ 
tions in writing, the same with the objections must be entered in the 
Journal of the Board, and after five days and within thirty days 
after the return of the bill or resolution, it shall be reconsidered 
and voted upon by the Supervisors, and if fourteen members of the 
Board pass an affirmative vote, it shall then become an ordinance 
without the Mayor’s signature. If the bill or resolution fails to 
receive an affirmative vote from fourteen Supervisors it is lost. 

Every act of the City aud County shall be by ordinance. 

Powers of the Supervisors. 

Their powers are varied and extensive. They have power to make 
all of the local laws. They have power to establish and maintain 
Hospitals, Almshouses, Homes for the Insane, Jails and Houses of Re¬ 
formation. They have power to impose and collect license taxes. 
They have power over the police jurisdiction of the city; and all 
sanitary regulations and improvements. The cleaning, improve¬ 
ment, and beautifying of the city is one of their important duties. 
They may allow $2,500.00 for the celebration of our National Inde¬ 
pendence; and $500.00 for the observance of Memorial Day. 


37 


The Executive Officers. 


The Max;or is the chief executive officer of the City and County of 
San Francisco.* He must be an elector and have been one for at 
least five years prior to his election. He is elected by the people for 
two years and receives a salary of $6,000.00 per year. He selects 
his own secretary, stenographer and typist and usher. Each receive 
an annual salary which is paid bj^ the City and County. 

* James Rolph, Jr., is the present Mayor of the City and County of 
San Francisco. 

The Mayor may inspect all books, records, and official papers of 
all departments or officers in the employment of the City and County. 

He has general supervision over all the departments and public 
institutions of the City and County. It is his duty to take all proper 
measures to sustain public order; and to suppress all riots and 
tumults. For this purpose the police are at his command and he 
may call upon the Governor for military aid. 

The Mayor has the appointing of all officers of the City and County 
not otherwise elected or appointed. When vacancies occur in any 
office, and no provision has been made by the law for the filling of 
the same, the Mayor appoints a suitable person to fill the vacancy 
and to hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired term. 

Questions. 

1. What are the laws of the City and County of San Francisco 
called? 

2. How many departments to the government? 

3. Niame each. 

4. What is the Legislative body called? 

5. How many Supervisors are there? How are they elected? 
For how long? 

6. When do the Supervisors meet? Wlio is their presiding 
officer? 

7. What are the City and County laws called ? 

8. How does a bill become an “Ordinance ?” 

9. What are the powers and duties of the Supervisors? 

10. Who is the chief Executive Officer? What are some of his 
powers and duties? 

The Auditor, whose qualifications are the same as those of the 
Mayor, is the general Accountant of the City and County. He must 
know and report to the Mayor, the Supervisors or their committees, 
upon demand the exact condition of the Treasury and of every ap¬ 
propriation and fund. He passes on all claims or demands on the 
County Treasury. 

The Treasurer keeps all the public moneys (Note 39) ; but may 
pay out only on demand approved by the Auditor. The Treasurer 
and Auditor are allowed necessary clerks and deputies who receive 
annual salaries from the City and County. 


38 


The Treasurer must keep all the accounts belonging to each fund 
separate and distinct; and in no case, pay demands charged against 
one fund out of moneys belonging to another. Each night he shall 
take an account and enter in the proper book the exact amount of 
money on hand. Every month he makes out a complete statement 
of financial conditions for the Mayor. This statement is published 
cpiarterly. 

The Auditor and Treasurer shall each have the custody of a com¬ 
bination to the safe in the Treasury; which safe is provided with 
two different combination locks, neither of which alone will open the 
safe. 

The Assessor, who is elected for four years, may have such clerks 
and assistant deputies as necessary. He shall assess all taxable 
property in the City and County, at the time and in the manner 
prescribed by the general laws of the State. 

The Tax Collector, with the necessary clerks and deputies, must 
collect and pay into the Treasury all taxes and assessments ordained 
to be collected by the City and County. He collects, with the aid 
of the City Attorney, all delinquent taxes. The Tax Collector shall 
receive from the Auditor a number of licenses signed by the Auditor; 
these he shall sell when required. The money he shall pay to the 
Treasurer. He shall report to the Auditor monthly; showing him 
all licenses not sold and all the receipts from the Treasurer. 

The Coroner has the management of the Morgue. His qualifica¬ 
tions and term of office are the same as the other City and County 
officers. He is allowed necessary officers, the most important of 
whom is the autopsy physician. 

The Recorder keeps a public record of all the papers, books, maps, 
and records brought into his office. When filing and recording 
papers presented to him, he or his deputies shall write on the margin 
of each paper the amount paid for recording the same. 

His term and qualifications are the same as the other City and 
County officers. 

Questions. 

1. Who are the Executive officers? 

2. What are the duties of the Auditor? 

3. Who keeps the public moneys? What other duties has he? 

4. What work has the Auditor and Treasurer together? 

5. For how long is the Assessor elected? What are his duties? 

6. Describe the work of the Tax Collector. 

7. What does the Recorder do? 

Notes. 

Note 39.—With the written consent of the Mayor, the Treasurer 
may deposit all moneys paid into the Treasury of the City and 
County in any licensed bank or other banks who can furnish certain 
securities for such deposits. The Treasury draws not less than 2% 
per annum on the daily balances therein deposited. 


39 


The Legal Department. 


The three divisions of the Legal Department are the Superior 
Court; Justices’ Court; -and Police Court. 

The Superior Court may appoint not more than five interpreters 
of foreign languages to assist in criminal actions and in examina¬ 
tions before Coroner’s Juries. 

The City and County of San Francisco has four Justices of the 
Peace land five clerks appointed by their chief clerk. 

The Police Courts are divided into four departments: depart¬ 
ments number one, two, three, and four. There is one Police Judge 
for each department. They hold office for four years. They have 
jurisdiction over all prosecutions for the violation of ordinances of 
the Board of Supervisors, petty crimes and misdemeanor. They 
have jurisdiction over the preliminary examination of all felonies 
committed in the City and County. 

The City Auditor, District Attorney, Public Administrator, Sheriff, 
and County Clerk are elected for two years. 

The City Attorney must give legal advice, in writing, to all City 
and County officers, boards and commissions. He has charge of all 
law and equity cases in which rights of the city are involved, but he 
cannot settle or dismiss 'any litigation for or against the City and 
County without the consent of the Mayor and Supervisors. 

The District Attorney shall act in behalf of the People in all cases 
brought before the Police and Superior Courts. He must give, 
without fee, advice to the Board of Police Commissioners, the Chief 
of Police, the Board of Health and the Coroner, on matters relating 
to their offices. 

The Public Administrator takes charge of the estates of deceased 
persons, who die leaving no heirs in the State of California or proper 
legal representative. 

The County Clerk must act as the clerk of the Police Court; and 
keep an exact record of all books and records filed in his office, per¬ 
taining to the Police Court. He is ex-officio clerk of the Superior 
Court and the custodian of all the papers, records 'and files of the 
Superior Court.. 

The Sheriff has supervision of the city and county jails and ap¬ 
points numerous janitors, bailiffs, guards, matrons, etc. He is the 
executive officer of the courts and has a deputj^ in each department 
of the Superior Court to maintain order and carry out the orders and 
decrees of the Court. He executes all Writs of the Superior Court 
within the City and County. 

Besides the three departments. Supervisors, Mayor and Officers, 
Justices and Judges, the City and County of San Francisco has many 
efficient Boards and Departments. The most important are: The 
Board of Public Works; Board of Education; Board of Police Com¬ 
missioners ; Board of Fire Commissioners; Board of Public Health; 
Board of Election Commissioners; Board of Civil Service Commis¬ 
sioners; Park Commissioners and Playground Commissioners. 


40 


Notes. 

The Superintendent of Schools is Alfred Roncovieri. 

The present members of the Board of Education are: George E. 
Gallagher, President, Dr. A. A. D’Anconai, Sarah J. Jones and Agnes 
G. Regan. 

Questions. 

1. What is the highest County Court? 

2. What are interpreters? 

3. Describe the Justices’ Court. 

4. What are the lowest City and County Courts? 

5 Into how many departments are the Police Courts divided? 

6. How are they numbered? 

7. What is their jurisdiction ? 

8. What legal officers are elected for two years? 

9. What are the duties of the City Attorney? 

10. Who acts in behalf of the People in all cases brought before 
the Superior and Police Courts? What else must the District At¬ 
torney do? 

11. What is the work of the Public Administrator? 

12. What are the duties of the County Clerk? 

13. Tell briefly what powers and duties the Sheriff has. 

14. Mention other important Board of Commissioners. 

City Government of Los Angeles. 

The mayor is the executive head. The mayor is elected to serve a 
two-year term and receives a salary of $4500 a year. 

The legislative work is performed by nine councilmen. 

A majority vote only is required to pass a measure through the 
council ordinarily. But if it is vetoed by the mayor, and carries 
an appropriation of money, seven votes are required to carry it 
over the veto. If it carries no appropriation, six votes are necessary 
to pass it over his head. 

The president of the council is elected by the members and he 
of course presides over the meetings. 

The city’s business is divided into nine divisions and each division 
or department is under the supervision of a councilman. The 
councilmen are elected at large, that is ward system has been 
abolished on the theory that when each section elected a councilman 
there was too much dissention .among the councilmen and too much 
fighting for advantages for different sections to the detriment of 
other parts of the city. 

The nine different departments take care of the city’s financial 
affairs, the public utilities, police and fire departments, health, and 
ini short of all public 'affairs of the municipality. 

One of these departments is known as the Efficiency committee. 
It is headed by a councilman, in common with the others, and works 
in conjunction with a director of the Bureau of Efficiency who is 
paid a salary of $4,000 a year. This department is supposed to see 
that the highest possible standards of efficiency prevail in all branch¬ 
es of the city government. 


41 


There is also a civil service commission, the members of which 
are appointed by the mayor, subject to approval by the council. 
The members receive no salary. They have jurisdiction over all 
city employes except those elected and a few who are appointed. 
Those wishing positions, with the few exceptions noted, must pass 
competitive examinations and appointments in the majority of in¬ 
stances must be made from the resulting eligible lists. 

Several commissions plaj^ an important part in the administration 
of city affairs, notably the fire commission, the police commission, 
the park commission, the playgrounds commission. 

The office of city mother and that of public defender recently 
were created, the latter only a few days ago. The city mother, 
Mrs. Aletha Gilbert, furnishes advice and assistance to all those who 
need it, paying particular attention to friendless girls. She is sup¬ 
posed to be as much of a mother to them as is possible and to look 
after their welfare zealously. 

The public defender is to represent in the city’s police courts all 
those defendants without money or friends, his assistance to be furn¬ 
ished free. 

There is a city attorney to furnish other municipal officers with 
legal advice and a city prosecutor to prosecute misdemeanors occurr¬ 
ing within the boundaries of the municipality. 

Citizenship Taught in the Public Schools. 

A course in citizenship for the special benefit of immigrants is 
given in Los Angeles High school, 451 North Hill Street, on Wed¬ 
nesday evenings at 8 o’clock. The course may be begun at any time 
and requires three months. 

School certificates are granted which are accepted at court instead 
of fai public examination as to mental qualification for citizenship. 
After the examination of witnesses, those who have school certifi¬ 
cates are excused. All others remain for examination in government 
by the court. 

The course in citizenship is offered by the public schools and is 
free. 


Notes. 

Chas. E. Sebastian is Mayor of Los Angeles. 

Mrs. Estella Lawton Lindsey is the only woman lat the present 
time holding the office of councilman in a large citj^ 

Mrs. Aletha Gilbert is the City Mother. 

James H. Pope is the Public Defender. 

Questions. 

1. Who is the chief Executive officer of the city of Los Angeles? 

2. What are the members of the law-making body of Los Angeles 
called ? 

3. Are they all men? 

4. Describe the work of the Councilmen. 

5. What is the work of the Efficiency Committee? 

6. What two offices have recently been created? 


42 


7. Why are these two offices of such importance? 

8. What up-to-date method is used in Los Ang:eles in teaching 
Civil Government to the adult foreigner? 

THE CITY OF OAKLAND. 

Oakland has the strongest class in citizenship of any of the Bay 
Cities. Superintendent Baker instituted a class three years ago 
which has grown in strength and power, and which is, today, doing 
a wonderful work in teaching the alien, by a thorough knowledge 
of our laws, how to become a good citizen. 

After the pupils understand the Constitution, State and Local 
government they compare and discuss political question of the 
most stirring and vital importance. Often many of the pupils are 
college men. The work of this class has been very broad and 
efficient. 

The class is held at the Central Night School, High School Build¬ 
ing, corner of 12th and Clay Streets, Oakland. C. M. Shane, Prin¬ 
cipal. 

ALAMEDA. 

A class in Naturalization has just been started at the Longfellow 
School, Alameda, by the Board of Education and C. J. Dufour, 
Superintendent of Schools. It promises to be a great success. 



43 







GROWTH OF OUR GOVERNMENT. 

At the close of the Revolutionary War, the territory of the original 
thirteen States extended from Canada on the north, to Florida 
on the south; and from the Atlantic Ocean westward to the Missis¬ 
sippi River. 

In 1803, President Jefferson purchased the vast territory of Louis¬ 
iana, from Fance, for $15,000,000. 

In 1819, 'after a war with the Seminole Indians in Florida, in which 
Andrew Jackson had captured and held Pensacola, our government 
thought it best to purchase Florida from Spain for $5,000,000. This 
completed and gave the United States controll of the Atlantic sea¬ 
board from Main to the Gulf of Mexico. 

President Jefferson, in 1804, sent 'a company under Lewis and 
Clark, to explore the vast territory purchased from Prance. They 
not only explored Louisiana but crossed the Rocky Mountains 
and extended their explorations to the mouth of the Columbia River. 
In 1846, after a treaty with Great Britain, this territory became a 
part of the United States north to the 49th parallel. 

In 1854, Texas, which had formerly been -a part of Mexico, was 
annexed to the United States. A dispute arose over the boundary 
line between Mexico and Texas which caused the Mexican war. 

As the result of this war the United States acquired the territory 
(see map) known as the Mexican cession. The United States paid 
Mexico $18,000,000 for this territory and later $10,000,000 more for 
a small disputed section of land in Texas. 

The Mexican cession, with Texas, brought the United States nearly 
one million square miles of territory. The United States now ex¬ 
tended from Canada and the Great Lakes on the north, to Mexico 
and the Gulf of Mexico on the south; and from the Atlantic Ocean 
on the east, to the Pacific Ocean on the West. 

THE CIVIL WAR. 

All these years a bitter struggle had been going on between the 
people of the north and the slave owners of the South. This bitter 
feeling over the slavery question finally culminated in a great civil 
war, which shook the Republic and threatened for a time to destroy 
the Union. 

This War lasted from the firing on Fort Sumpter, South Carolina, 
April 12, 1861, to the surrender of General Robert E. Lee to General 
U. S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, on April 9, 1865. 

Notes. 

On New Years Hay, 1863, Abraham Lincoln, President of the 
United States signed the Proclamation of Emancipation, which 
abolished slavery in the United States. 

On the 15th of April, 1865, President Lincoln was assassinated. 

Since the Civil War, the United States has acquired the territory 
of Alaska (purchased from Russia for $15,000,000) ; the Hawaiian 
Islands (annexed in 1898) ; the Philippine Islands, Porto Rico and 
Guam (ceded to the United States 'at the close of the Spanish- 
American War) ; and several small islands (Tuiuila, Wade Island 
and Manila) of the Pacific Ocean which are important coaling sta¬ 
tions. 


44 


THE DUTY OF A FOREIGNER. 

Each year thousands of immigrants come from the densely crowded 
countries of Europe and Asia. They settle here and make homes. 

The Federal Government spends a great deal of money in making 
these strangers welcome, in giving them free schools and in en¬ 
couraging them to become citizens of this great nation. Therefore 
it is the duty of every foreigner who comes here to learn our language 
correctly, to study our laws, to take out naturalization papers and 
to participate in the progress of this great nation by taking part in 
the political life of the country. 

ALIENS 

Foreigners who desire to become United States citizens may de¬ 
clare their intentions by taking out their first papers any time after 
arrival. After five years residence in the United States and at least 
two years after getting first papers, a foreigner can file his applica¬ 
tion for second or final papers. 

The second papers must be signed by two witnesses, who have 
known him during the five years of his residence in the United States 
and who are citizens of the United States. 

The fee for the first papers is $1.00. 

The fee for the second papers is $4.00. 

On Thursday in some department of the Superior Court at the 
City Hall, the final hearing is heard* Ninety days after filing the 
second papers both witnesses must appear in court. Hearings are 
also heard in the United States District Court in the Post Office 
Building. 

*At the present time, Department No. 12, situated at the Hall of 
Justice, Kearny and Washington Streets is holding theses sessions. 
Judge Geo. H. Cabaniss presiding. 

All Applications for first papers must be made to the clerk of the 
United States District Court, situated in the Post Office building at 
Seventh and Mission Streets. 

Applications for second papers may he made either to the clerk 
of the United States District Court or to the County Clerk of the 
Superior Court situated in the City Hall. The naturalization of the 
husband naturalizes the whole family. 

Questions. 

1. Who is an alien? How may he become a citizen of the United 
States ? 

2. When may an alien take out his first papers? 

3. When can he file his application for second papers? How 
many witnesses must he have? 

4. What must the witnesses swear to ? 

5. Describe the final hearing. 

6. If the husband is naturalized how does it affect the rest of 
the family? 

7. Why do you wish to become a citizen of the United States? 


45 


AMERICA. 

I. 

My country! ’tis of thee, 

Sweet land of liberty, 

Of thee I sing; 

Land where my fathers died! 
Land of the Pilgrim’s pride! 
Prom every mountain side, 

Let freedom ring! 

IT. 

My chosen country, thee— 

Land of the noblle free— 

Thy name I love; 

I love thy rocks and rills. 

Thy woods and templed hills; 

My heart with rapture thrills. 
Like that above. 

III. 

Let music swell the breeze. 

And ring from all the trees. 
Sweet freedom’s song; 

Let mortal toingues awake; 

Let alll that breathe partake; 

Let rocks their silence break— 
The sound prolong. 

IV. 

Our Father’s God! to Thee, 
Author of liberty. 

To Thee we sing; 

Long may our land be bright 
With freedom’s holy light; 
Protect us by Thy might. 

Great God, our King! 


46 



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